The Course of Time, History and Paradise
by sanddrake111
Summary: It is often thought that fate and history is set in stone. But what if it isn't? A single twist in the strands of fate begins to cause a butterfly effect that unravels the whole string and the strings of those around it. What changed? Many... Starting with a girl named Maribel Hearn...One-shot.


As, voted by readers, though there weren't many of them, I will be continuing The Bindings of Fate and Boundaries. This here will be left as a one-shot here and anyone interested can just leave me a PM and adopt this story.

Gensokyo: A world which exists quietly beside ours, separated by a mystical border. It is a utopia where humans and other beings such as fairies, youkai, and gods live peacefully together. A world where things that no longer "belong" in the modern, secular world vanish to. However, a group of Youkais are attempting to take over a city in the outside world or Kyoto to be precise. In Kyoto however, lives a girl named Maribel Hearn, and this invasion of Youkais is about to alter her fate and the fate of Gensokyo…..forever…

"We interrupt this broadcast to bring a message to you from the government….."

"…..All civilians of Kyoto are ordered to evacuate the city now, a terrorist organization have just being their attack on Kyoto, please head to the Kyoto Police Headquarters and await further instructions. Civilian….'

"I knew something felt odd these past few days…Renko, pack you things, we move now!"

My name is Maribel Hearn. I have spent most of my life after graduating from high school trying to enter Gensokyo as I wish. Currently I am only able to enter Gensokyo subconsciously when I sleep and dream but I have not been successful in entering it whenever I'm awake. Gensokyo is a land full of the supernatural and things that you no longer see in modern society, and one such supernatural beings, the Youkais are invading Kyoto with the government covering it up as a terrorist attack in order to make sure that everyone evacuates the city. After all, who would believe that something like a dragon is attacking their city right now right? How do I know that this is a cover up? When you've been to Gensokyo or have some sort of connection to it, you can feel the presence of something supernatural or "not of this world" at any given time. Additionally, this presence projected by this invading force gives me the impression that it is large.

"Alright Merry, I've packed up all my necessities and ready to go."

"Okay, let's head to the Police Headquarters now!"

This is Renko, my "accomplice" in my search for Gensokyo, we met in University when I was founding the Sealing Club, she joined me because she wanted to try out something..."Unique" The official designation for the Sealing club was that we were a club for those interested in Necromancery and the such. But I was never really interested in such things and only placed it there to ensure that whomever that would join the club would not be participate in my activities half-heartedly. At first, she was quite skeptical of my claims of Gensokyo, but over the years, we've been through a lot together.

As we leave our dorm rooms, I noticed that the scale of destruction caused by the Youkais was much greater than what I initially expected. Many high-rise towers have been damaged, caught fire, destroyed or all the above. We can also see large crowds of civilians panicking while running towards the Police Headquarters while a large shadow approaches over the horizon.

As the shadow approaches, we catch a glimpse of the Youkai forming the shadow. A large horde of monstrous looking creatures are chasing down the civilians, slaughtering the police and soldier while kidnapping the woman and children. If this keeps up, we will not be able to escape the horde…

"MERRY! THEY'RE CATCHING UP!"

"JUST KEEP RUNNING AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"

This reminds me of that one time in a Bamboo Forest in one of my "Dreams" where I was being chased by a giant mouse-like Youkai….the fear and panic that coursed through my body…I could never forget it, even if I wanted to.

Eventually, the screams started to get even louder, and I could hear ominous laughs amongst the horde of Youkais, hearing their laughter of sadistic pleasure and wicked joy. Suddenly, of the the Youkai speke up:

"Hey, do you feel that, there is one amongst them with a very strong spiritual energy. Find her and bring her back to Hagoromo Gitsune-sama!"

Oh no, from the sound of that, it seems like they are looking for me, considering my ability. I need to think up of something now before Renko gets harmed.

"Renko, split up now. I don't know if you heard what they said, but it seems like they are looking for people with "strong spiritual energy"

"I heard that, but I'm not leaving you Merry!"

"I said GO!"

"But…"

"GO! NOW!"

With that Renko finally parted ways with me, disappearing into the crowd. I can only pray for her safety, for I cannot guarantee my own fate….

"THERE SHE IS, THE ONE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR! GET HER!"

When I heard that command, I knew that my fate was sealed. But I kept running, running to fight such a fate. But alas it is futile because they eventually caught up and captured me. As my consciousness slowly fade, I can only wonder on whether or not Renko got captured like me and what would happen to me later…

"AHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh…"

The sound of other women screaming was what I heard when I woke up…to the gruesome sight of a woman dying while being kissed by another lady…

The nude lady in her twenties was standing in a lake, polluted black with maliceful energies. Additionally, she has pale white skin with jet black hair and eyes to match the lake.

"Ufufufufu…Now that you're up, I guess I'll force you to watch others suffer before I kill you. The livers of those with special abilities then to taste better when the owner is in fear…"

"Please, I don't want to die! I'm too young to die!"

I heard the plea for help coming from behind me, a teenage girl was being dragged down the stairs by an old thin hunchback of short stature with bony fingers. His head is bald with a beard and wrinkled lips around his nearly toothless grinning mouth. With no eyebrows and large ears, his eyes are always closed and covered with vertical scars while he has a large third eye with a red sclera arranged on his looming forehead.

"Here's your next meal Hagoromo Gitsune-sama."

"Thank you, Minagoroshi Jizō. Oh and while you're here, would you make sure that this young lady observes everything I do next?"

"Of course, it will be my pleasure. Heheheheh."

As the now proclaimed Hagoromo Gitsune approaches the teenage girl, I want to look away but was forced to watch by the creepy old man. Because of that, I clearly observed what happened next. First, the witch as I will now refer her to, kissed the girl, then the girl started to scream. At that point, I could see her bleeding from her mouth, as if her insides we being eaten or something along that line…

"Ufufufu…Good, bring in the next one."

The old man proceeded to leave the room, leaving me here with the witch. As much as I scream at my body to move, I cannot as I am paralyzed with fear. However I hear another old man's voice at the stairs.

"HEHEHEHE…You look much, much younger then when we fought four hundred years ago Hagoromo Gitsune, MUCH younger and lively. So this is where you're going to give birth huh?"

"Well, if it isn't Nurarihyon. You look liked you've aged quite a bit there Ufufufu."

Down the staircase is a short old man with his head protruding backwards from his face in the shape of a gourd wearing a brown robe over a dark green kimono with traditional Japanese sandals and a traditional straw hat.

Immediately a fox tail sprung out of the lake and pierced Nurarihyon, but instead of blood and brain bits, his body started to blur, like an after image of sorts. The witch continued to barrage Nurarihyon after he reappeared beside her but was eventually pinned down by him after evading the tail barrage.

At the point, all I could hear are whispers. But from what I could see, both of the look very serious, until the witch attacked again.

"Darkness will once again rule that land and our wish will finally be realized."

"Hmph, your still going on about that old thing, times have changed. Now that I know that our clan will never be able to get along with the lot of you…"

The witch started taunting the old man about him not wanting to fight; at this point it doesn't take a genius to realize that there has been some bad blood amongst these two. When suddenly, a voice echoed:

"More…..More blood! I'm supposed to stand over both ayakashi and men….."

This voice sent chills all around my body, this is the being that the witch was going to give birth to!?

"Unfortunately, I think not…"

A tall, blond haired lady in her mid-thirties appeared beside me. She wears a deep purple dress, a pale pink mob cap with a thin red ribbon, and has smaller ribbons tied liberally on her accessories and the tips of her hair. Most curiously of course was the fact that she was carrying an opened parasol of the same colour as her mob cap. But what's most surprising is that she looks like an older version of me!

"Ah yes…It has been quite a while hasn't it, Aveleen O Hearne."

"Heh…That was a terrible attempt at pronouncing my old name but I no longer go by that name anyways. You may address me as Yakumo Yukari and I am here today to make sure that my chosen successor is not killed in the midst of your madness."

"Oh, and who would that be?"

"This young girl right beside me of course."

"Wait? Me, I don't know what that was supposed to mean and it doesn't sound good…"

"Well, I'll be taking what I came here for. See you later!"

Suddenly, I started falling, looking up I could see an eye shaped hole and looking around me I can see eyes everywhere. This familiar feeling of being near or in a boundary, but what could produce a boundary like this?

"Oh and one more this Miss Kitsune, while you and I were bantering, that old Nurarihyon made his getaway~~"

With that she jumped into the same hole which I fell into and caught up with me…Suddenly I feel so sleepy…..

"Sleep now young one, you've been through a lot and now you deserve rest. I promise you that all will be explained when you wake up…"

It has been quite a while since I parted ways with Merry. As I run to the Police Headquarters, the shadow ceasing its pursuit, I can only wish for Merry's safety…Suddenly, I heard what sounds like wooden carriages behind me, from the sound of the screams it seems like they are continuing their pursuit on land now. Looking behind me, I could see demons with flaming wooden carriage wheels for legs rounding up humans for the harvest. However, before they could take the people away they were hit by a big blue ball of energy which then fragmented itself into smaller balls of energy. The ones that were caught in te main explosion left no corpses while those that were hit by the smaller balls had lethal holes in their bodies. I guess you could call it a magical frag grenade.

"Is your name Usami Renko?"

Looking up, I saw a fox girl with yellow eyes, short blonde hair and she wears a light pink two-tailed hat with many amulets. She has fox ears hidden under her hat. She has nine fox tails and wears a blue and light purple dress with a blue print on the front. Considering this is a Youkai invasion I wearily responded the lady.

"Yes that would be me…"

"Then you are to come with me. My name is Yakumo Ran and I am here now to pick you up as per my mistress's orders."

This does not bode well for me. What if her mistress intentions are foul? What if she intends on eating me…

"Seeing how hesistant you are I will tell you word by word what my mistress said. She said that: You are to find a girl named Usami Renko and bring her here. Her presence will greatly calm down my chosen successor."

"Chosen successor? Is she talking about Merry?"

"I'm not sure who that is but I assure you it's most likely someone your familiar with."

From what I remember from Merry, some Youkai can be deceitful and should not be trusted. With her calculative stare she looks like she's sizing up her prey, deciding if the prey needs to be fattened before her meal…

"Now are you done contemplating, you know it isn't safe out here considering the invasion. Or must I drag you back with me?"

"Considering I have no choice here, when do we leave?"

"We leave now. This way please."

An eye shaped portal opened behind her as she gestured me to follow. The interior of the portal looks like it has eyes everywhere, looks everywhere and anywhere. Entering the portal is truly a weird experience considering that there is no visible solid floor to walk on and yet I am walking of such an invisible floor. As soon as I step in however I notice that I am now in a western styled room and considering the layout, a bedroom. There are two beds in this room one of them is empty and the other one has…MERRY!?

And thus, the encounter between the Border of Phantasm and the Young founder of the Sealing Club occurred. Ensuring that both the outside world and Gensokyo will never be the same again…


End file.
